The Balloon TreeFarmshop & Café

The Balloon Tree Farmshop & Café sits on Stamford Bridge Road at Gate Helmsley, on the edge of York, on land the Machin family has farmed for more than 40 years. The shop grew from a roadside stall into its current building, opening in April 2004. It sells rare-breed meats, free-range eggs, seasonal vegetables and own-made jams and chutneys, alongside an in-house bakery and delicatessen producing pork pies, sausage rolls, quiches and salads. A café serves cooked breakfasts and lunches using shop produce. In summer, customers can pick their own strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and rhubarb across the surrounding fields. A children's playground and tractor-trailer rides around the farm, known as the Track Out Back, run alongside the retail side. The business is a member of the Farm Retail Association and describes itself as family run, with Digby and Matthew Machin involved in growing and seasonal planning.